


Heritage/Traditions

by NerdChild644461217



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:00:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25636207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NerdChild644461217/pseuds/NerdChild644461217
Summary: “Let me finish.” Sokka sighed heavily. He knew the extent of Aang’s feelings for his sister. They had talked about it at length one night in Ba Sing Se, back when he and Katara still weren’t sure how to act around each other, and Sokka had gotten suspicious. He knew how much he loved her, and despite her never saying anything to Sokka, he knew that Katara loved Aang just as much. Which made what he said next that much harder. “Like I said, it’s about you in kind of a roundabout way. What the root of it is, is Katara getting married.” Sokka let his words hang there for a second, watching Aang’s face go from confusion to realization to shock in under two seconds.
Relationships: Aang & Katara (Avatar), Aang/Katara (Avatar)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 66





	Heritage/Traditions

**Author's Note:**

> Just a quick reminder that I haven't read the comics nor seen Legend of Korra, so I apologize for any discrepancies between this and those!

Aang could hardly sit still. The air had turned chilly a few hours ago, and he’d begun to see icebergs. He knew he was close, and he was so excited he thought he would crawl out of his skin.

It had been a little under a year since he’d seen the Water Tribe siblings. After Ozai and Azula’s fall, they had all laid low in Ba Sing Se for a while. They hadn’t been able to just relax in nine months, and they were going to take advantage of it. They all knew they couldn’t stay long, but they chose to ignore it for the time being. Until Iroh announced that he and King Kuei would train Aang and Zuko in ‘The art of being diplomatic’.

Aang rolled his eyes at the memory. He knew how to be diplomatic sure, but there really was an art to being diplomatic between diplomats, as he soon found out the hard way. It wasn’t the most fun time of his life, but they had really taught he and Zuko a lot in the eleven months they had traveled together. They stayed mostly in the Earth Kingdom, going back and forth to the Fire Nation a few times, and even to the North Pole once. There was discussion about going to the South Pole, which Aang himself championed, but it was decided (not by Aang) that he and Zuko had traveled with Katara and Sokka enough that any diplomatic issues that arose with the Southern Water Tribe would probably be handled outside of meetings anyway.

Appa gave a low rumble, a sign they were getting close, snapping Aang out of his reverie. When Iroh and Kuei decided that Aang and Zuko knew enough to make it on their own, Zuko left with Iroh to pick up the pieces of the Fire Nation, which, up until that point, had been proxied by Mai and the Kyoshi Warriors. Aang and Appa were headed towards the South Pole before Zuko and Iroh had even started packing, his excitement getting the better of him.

He missed his friends. Goofing off with Sokka had been a luxury he didn’t know he’d ever miss. Sure, he and Zuko had a good time, but the light-heartedness that he had with Sokka wasn’t something he’d ever have with Zuko. That was okay, he and Zuko got along and had fun in other ways, but sometimes you just miss goofing off. However, as much as he missed Sokka, Katara was the reason he had left Ba Sing Se so quickly.

He’d finally gotten his wish, being with her. But they were young and it was new, and for a little while there was some fumbling between the two, neither quite sure where to go from there. Then, when they’d finally gotten to a point where Aang could wrap his arms around her without her stumbling over her words, or Katara could kiss him without him turning red as a tomato, Iroh said they were leaving.

It was understandable the siblings didn’t want to hang around and do nothing while Zuko and Aang learned how to protect the peace, so Aang didn’t put up a fight when they asked if they could be taken home before he and Zuko left with Kuei and Iroh. He’d managed to steal one last, solid kiss from Katara before hopping on Appa and heading north. But that kiss had been eleven months ago, and he missed her.

The Southern Water Tribe finally came into view, and the darkness of the polar night made the flickering flames lighting the small city gleam like gemstones. He urged Appa on, ready to see his friend and his kind-of-sort-of girlfriend. He landed softly, the snow muffling the sound of Appa’s feet impacting on the ground. He hopped off, using a gust of air to soften his own landing, and picked his way to the house that he knew Sokka and Katara, as well as Hakoda and Kanna resided in. As he got closer, he heard what the last eleven months had taught him was arguing, and a figure exited out of the door. The darkness made it hard for him to see who it was, and he thought of following for a moment, before he decided that whatever the story may be, he’d make more progress learning about it inside. He shook it off and ducked in where the figure had just exited from.

Sokka was lounging on a block of ice covered in pelts. Aang had to study it for a second before it registered that it was a couch.

“Aang!” Sokka jumped up, running over to hug his friend.

“Sokka!” Aang answered, wrapping his arms around him.

“You got taller!” Sokka exclaimed as they separated. The young Air Nomad had come to his chin when they’d left, but Sokka wouldn’t be surprised if Aang was a little bit taller than him now.

Aang gave him an embarrassed little smile, rubbing the back of his arrow. “Yeah, Iroh said I had a growth spurt a few months ago.”

“-won’t listen! She’s too caught up in waiting on the Air Nomad who may or may not come back!” Sokka and Aang’s heads both turned towards the sound of Kanna’s voice, as she turned the corner with Hakoda, who both froze at the sight of Aang.

Hakoda gave him a sly smile before turning to the older Water Tribe woman. “Looks like he did come back.”

The elderly woman at least had the decency to look sheepish before putting her hands up in an ‘I surrender’ motion. “Fine, she gets her way. But he has to agree to it too.” She nodded her head at Aang before turning back the way she had come and disappearing around the corner.

“Uh… Agree to what?” Aang questioned, breaking the awkward silence that had followed Gran-Gran’s departure.

Hakoda and Sokka shared a look that Aang couldn’t decipher, before Sokka shook his head almost imperceptibly at his father. Hakoda gave him a slight nod in return, before turning to Aang, the strange look replaced by a wide smile.

“Nothing, son. A discussion for another time. I’m just glad to see you again!” He crossed the space of the sitting room to wrap Aang up in a hug. “Hey!” He exclaimed as he broke away, holding the young Air Nomad at arm’s length. “You got taller!”

Aang, having decided not to push whatever had just happened, gave him a smile in return. “Sokka said the same thing. Iroh said I had a growth spurt a couple months ago.”

Hakoda laughed at him, smacking his back. “I remember those days. Did it hurt?”

Aang grimaced, remembering the feeling of his bones being sore, something he’d never experienced. He missed Katara anyway, but during that week, he’d really missed her and her healing abilities.

Hakoda laughed again at Aang’s grimace. “I’ll take that as a yes. I know it already happened, but we’ve got a tea that we like to give young men going through growth spurts.” He turned and headed towards the small doorway to Aang’s left. “I’ll whip some up.”

Sokka scrunched his face. “They only reason they give it to you is because it’s gross.” He whispered conspiringly, before walking quickly towards the hallway on Aang’s left.

“Wait!” Aang exclaimed. “Where are you going?”

Sokka didn’t even turn around. “It’s too late for you. I’m leaving before it’s too late for me.” He disappeared into the doorway, and Aang was about to continue his protesting when he heard movement behind him.

He steeled himself for whatever drink Hakoda had prepared. He knew it took a lot for Sokka to say something was gross, and was fully expecting something that would make his stomach churn for hours afterwards. He turned, but what he saw was not Hakoda and some Spirits forsaken drink, but Katara.

She was fussing about her parka, wiping snow off herself and seemingly not having noticed Aang yet. She took a deep breath and shut her eyes before tilting her head up. “I told him yes! I hope you’re happy!”

Aang was studying her, confused as to what was happening. If he hadn’t been looking so close, he would have missed the single tear that escaped her closed eye before she angrily wiped it away. She began muttering to herself before shedding her parka, opening her eyes to begin undoing the buttons holding it together, finally noticing Aang.

Aang had imagined how it would be, what would happen when he finally saw Katara again. The look of pure terror that was currently on her face was not something that had ever even crossed his mind.

“Maybe next time you won’t storm out when you aren’t getting your way.” Came Kanna’s voice from behind Aang. Katara didn’t even look at her.

Her hands flew to her face, and Aang thought she was crying for a moment, crossing to her and placing his hands on her shoulder. When he got there, however, it became clear that what he thought were sobs were really deep breaths, designed to keep her calm. Her hands suddenly flew from her face.

“DAMN IT!” She exclaimed, turning on her heel, dislodging Aang’s hands and grabbing for the door.

“Now where are you going?” Kanna exclaimed, and Aang turned his head to watch her stalk forward.

“I’m breaking it off!” Katara snarled back.

Aang’s head hurt. There was a lot going on, and he hadn’t the slightest clue as to what any of it was.

“Oh no you’re not!” Kanna put one hand on the door, and Aang knew she would not be moving. “Only if you have another viable suitor.”

  
  
Katara looked at her incredulously. She was speechless. ‘ _Aang was standing right THERE?! VIABLE SUITOR? HOW ABOUT THE AVATAR?!’_ She tried voicing her thoughts, but found she could not form the words, she was so angry. She settled for waving wildly in Aang’s general direction.

Kanna nodded once at Aang. “He has to agree as well. But it is not proper for you to ask!”

Katara’s jaw dropped. “You left your ‘viable’ suitor! How is that ‘proper’!?”

The older woman’s jaw hardened. “Those were different circumstances, we have been over this!”

Katara pacing, venting out her angry energy. “You didn’t have another ‘viable suitor’ lined up! You just left!”

Gran-Gran’s hand fell from the door and moved to her hips. “What I did was under different circumstances. Pakku was an ass at the time. These young men are not.”  
  


Katara’s pacing suddenly stopped, and her hands flew to her head. She stood there for a few seconds, and Aang could hear her angry muttering from where he stood. He had backed himself out of the line of fire when Katara started pacing, and was currently staying out of the way near the couch Sokka had been occupying when he’d first come in.  
  


Suddenly, Katara’s head snapped up, and she and Kanna both began yelling. In the din, Aang couldn’t make out much, except ‘You did everything we’re not supposed to’ and an answering shout of ‘I did it the proper way once I came here’, plus some more arguing. It suddenly clicked with Aang that this was what he’d heard when he’d first walked up. He turned when he felt a hand on his arm, and saw Sokka stretched out of the doorway he had disappeared into. He jerked his head, indicating Aang should follow him. Aang thought about staying and trying to use his new diplomat training to help the two Water Tribe women, but the look of fear on Sokka’s face had him second-guessing if that was wise. After a moment, he stepped with him into a small hallway and trailed behind him into a doorway on the right. Sokka shut the door, and the sounds of Katara and her grandmother’s fight were instantly muffled. Aang let out a deep breath as he flopped sideways on the bed.

“Thanks. I can hear myself think again.”  
  


Sokka sighed to as he sat next to Aang. “I had to reinforce my door. When they first started you could still hear everything. Dad did too.”

Aang looked at him as he sat up, balancing his weight on his elbows. “What are they fighting about?”

Sokka looked at him for a second, before sighing again and flopping on his back next to Aang, who looked down at him curiously. “I really shouldn’t be the one to tell you this, but once they get going it tends to last a while.”

Aang tilted his head at him. “That doesn’t clear much up.”

Sokka rolled his eyes a little. “Let me get there. In a roundabout way, they’re arguing about you.”

“Wha-“ Aang started, but was interrupted.

“Let me finish.” Sokka sighed heavily. He knew the extent of Aang’s feelings for his sister. They had talked about it at length one night in Ba Sing Se, back when he and Katara still weren’t sure how to act around each other, and Sokka had gotten suspicious. He knew how much he loved her, and despite her never saying anything to Sokka, he knew that Katara loved Aang just as much. Which made what he said next that much harder. “Like I said, it’s about you in kind of a roundabout way. What the root of it is, is Katara getting married.” Sokka let his words hang there for a second, watching Aang’s face go from confusion to realization to shock in under two seconds.

“What?!” He snapped up and used a gust of air to set him on his feet before pacing, similar to how Katara had been doing in the sitting room.

Sokka sat up on his elbows and watched him. “It’s not that she wants to, buddy. It’s tradition.” He watched him for a second, not sure he was registering his words. “Look, I shouldn’t be the one telling you this, and especially not what I’m about to say, so will you sit still a minute and listen to me?”

Aang didn’t really look at him, except a slight flick of his eyes in Sokka’s general direction. He waved his arm. “I’m listening, I’m listening.”

Sokka rolled his eyes. “She won’t tell you this. She might tell you everything else, but she won’t tell you that if she has to marry, she wants it to be you.”

That got Aang’s attention. His pacing halted so suddenly that he had to use a burst of air to keep himself upright. “She… she what?!”

Sokka sat up fully, and waved his hands at him. “Look, _I’M_ not supposed to know this, so I’m pretty sure you aren’t either. But when Suki came to visit she unloaded a lot on her, and Suki told me, she said she thought I should know. But she said you were the only option to her. She didn’t want anybody else. And that even though she _had_ to get married, it wouldn’t feel like she was being forced into it if it was with you.”

He watched Aang take his words in. He could almost hear the gears in his brain turning. “But…” He trailed off, and started again. “I’m not sixteen.”

Sokka shrugged. “She just has to be engaged by sixteen. Most people do get married then, but some don’t.” He eyed him a little. “I know this is hard. Either get married or see her engaged to someone else. Nobody’s expecting you to be ready for this. That’s why they’re arguing.” He nodded his head towards the wall where Katara and Kanna were still arguing. “Katara doesn’t want to put that on you, and Gran-Gran says it’s either that or pick someone from the Tribe.”

Aang shook his head. “Why didn’t she say anything about this before?”

Sokka gave him a ‘duh’ look. “There wasn’t anybody her age, besides me, and that wasn’t happening. It wasn’t a big deal until the North sent a bunch of people to help rebuild the South. Then all these traditions that had almost died out were suddenly being revived.”

Aang resumed his pacing, and Sokka reached out to place a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Aang.” He looked at him, and the expression Sokka gave him was serious. “She’s managed to get out of a lot of things. But she’s the chief’s daughter. She can’t get out of this one.”

Aang nodded slowly, then darted towards the door. He ignored Sokka’s exclamation of “Hey!” When he came out of the hall, Katara was leaned against the wall yelling and gesturing wildly, while her grandmother was seated on the couch, yelling and gesturing just as wildly. He walked towards Katara, grabbing her hand when he got close enough to, and began dragging the both of them towards the door. Katara gave him an odd look, but thankfully stopped her yelling and didn’t say anything.

“Where are you going!?” Came Gran-Gran’s indignant shout. 

Aang turned towards her, swinging Katara behind him in an attempt to keep them from resuming their argument. He gave her a slight bow of respect. “I’m very sorry for interrupting, but my _girlfriend_ and I have some things to talk about.”

He drug Katara out of the igloo before either woman could say anything further. Katara was quiet on the short walk to where Aang had left Appa, the only sounds breaking the silence were Aang’s ‘Yip-yip!’ and Appa’s low rumble as he took off. They were both quiet for a while, Aang flying high enough that the only things around them were stars.

“How much did he tell you?” She finally questioned, so quiet Aang could hardly hear her.

He sighed, before shifting Appa’s reigns to one hand so he could wrap the other around her shoulders, gathering her closer to him. She settled her head on his shoulder, and he waited until she was comfortable before answering “Enough.”

Katara pinched the bridge of her nose with one hand. “I need specifics, Aang!” She snapped.

They were both quiet for a second. Aang was trying to think of how to relay what Sokka had told him without agitating her further, when she whispered a quiet “I’m sorry.”

Aang looked down at her, and caught her hastily wiping away a tear. “This has just been a reoccurring thing this year and my birthday is in less than a week and I have to make a decision before then and it will just help me explain to you if I know how much you know already and-“ She was about to continue her rambling when Aang leaned down to kiss the top of her head.

“It’s okay. I forgive you.” Was his only response. He waited a moment, leaving his lips pressed to her head, letting her compose herself, and giving himself time to figure out his own response.

“He told me you didn’t have to be married anytime soon, although they would like it if you were, just engaged by your birthday.” He said once he lifted his head, and he felt her nod. “He said that you tried to avoid it, but couldn’t, and he implied the only reason this was happening was to keep your traditions alive.” He leaned down, kissing her head again, before sitting back up. “You know I know more than anybody how important it is to keep the traditions of your people alive.” She sighed as she nodded again. “That was it, really.” He would broach the rest of what Sokka had told him once he’d heard her side of it.

He actually heard her swallow before she sat up. For a moment, Aang was afraid she’d pull away from him, but simply scooted closer, and took his free hand with both of hers, playing with his fingers and not meeting his eyes.

“I knew about this tradition, but I never really thought about it because there wouldn’t be anybody even close to marrying age when I turned sixteen. I never asked, but it was always implied that it would just be another tradition that would die off. And then after the war…” She trailed off and took one of her hands away to motion between the two of them. Aang nodded, showing he was following, and she returned her hand to his. “And I didn’t say anything because I didn’t even think about it, it just wasn’t something that I thought of often, _because I thought it was implied it would just die off.”_ She stressed the last part of her sentence, and Aang began rubbing the back of her knuckles with his thumb, trying to calm her down before she got too worked up. She nodded a small thanks at him, and took a deep breath before continuing. “Even after you dropped us off, nobody really said anything to me about it. It wasn’t until the first one showed up at the house with an engagement necklace that I even remembered it for the first time in years.”

“The first one?” Aang questioned, trying to keep the mix of emotions that her words brought up at bay.

She looked at him apologetically. “There were… several. I’m the chief’s daughter, I’m the only Water Bender in the South… it was just kind of a mix of things that made me a ‘viable option’ for a lot of men.” She spat the words ‘viable option’ out like they were poison, and Aang decided he wouldn’t say anything about it. “After Amaruq, I said no, by the way. After him, I cornered my Gran-Gran, and that was when she dropped it on me that it was decided I would be engaged by marrying age, and it’s just spiraled since then.” She took a deep breath. “And then for the past three months one of the men from a prominent family in the North, Siku, has been… courting me?” She shrugged, then sighed. “I don’t know, Aang. He asked me to marry him two days ago, and instead of letting me say no, Gran-Gran butted in and said I’d think about it. We’d been arguing about it ever since, and then earlier, I guess right before you got here, she gave me this whole guilt trip speech about keeping alive the traditions of our ancestors, and it got in my head, and…” She stopped, and Aang looked at her. Her eyes were closed, and she appeared to be steeling herself. “I went to him tonight and I accepted.” She rushed out in one breath.

Aang froze, his gaze locked on their hands, his right one sandwiched between both of hers. Katara pushed on. “But when I got back, you were suddenly there, and I wanted to turn around and retract my acceptance but…” She let out another sigh. “Well, you saw the rest.”

He was biting the inside of his cheek hard. He didn’t want to be angry with her, and honestly, he wasn’t, but he was angry, and he wasn’t sure where to direct it. “What was your plan when I came back? ‘Hi, I know we were starting a relationship when I left but I’m married now?’”

Katara stiffened beside him, and took both hands away from his. “I had to make a decision and I was running out of time! I tried to wait on you, but I had waited almost as long as I could, and you still weren’t there!”

“You knew I was coming back!” He snarked back.

“But I didn’t know when, and a decision had to be made! I turn 16 in THREE days, Aang! I did not have the time!”  
  


“But-“ He started, before she jumped in.

“You just said you understood!” She snarled.

That shut him up, and he looked away from her to take a few calming breaths. “You’re right, I did.” He turned his head back towards her, but she was staring ahead stonily. “I’m sorry, Katara.” Her eyes cut to him, but she didn’t move her head. He nudged her with his shoulder a little. “I was just shocked because, let’s face it, I’ve been in this relationship a few months longer than you.” She did look at him then, a small smile on her face.

“Just a few.” She laughed at him. She shifted a little, putting her head back on his shoulder. He untangled their hands, and wrapped his arm around her. Neither said anything for a few moments, just enjoying each other’s presence. “So, you’re okay with it?” She finally asked quietly, breaking the silence.

“Hm?” He glanced down at the top of her head.

“Siku and I marrying.” She replied simply, as if her words didn’t just cut Aang to his core.

“Wait, what?” He questioned, nudging her back up with his shoulder so he could look at her.

“Aang, I still have to announce an engagement, whether you’re here or not.” She wouldn’t look at him for a moment, but when she did, she had nothing but remorse in her eyes.

“You’re still going through with it?” He questioned.

She sighed as she shrugged. “I have to announce something, and he’s the one who annoys me the least and-“

“What about me?!” He cut her off, not really wanting to hear too much about her technical fiancé.

She looked at him. “What about you?”

He gave her an incredulous look. “Am I not a ‘viable suitor’? I’m the Avatar for Spirits sake!”

She couldn’t help the small smile as he echoed her thoughts from earlier, but it quickly disappeared once it registered what he was saying. “I mean you would be, but…” She trailed off, casting about frantically for something to say.

She stammered for a moment longer before Aang cocked his head at her. “But what, Katara?”

“I…” She couldn’t get the words out.

Aang sighed and looked away from her. “Look, I get it. If you don’t want to marry me, that’s fine but-“

  
  
“WHAT?!” Her screech of indignation was so loud Aang almost shot off Appa. “I DO want to marry you, you thick headed air boy!” She huffed in frustration, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Well, not that I WANT to, not right now, but, but… but…”

Her words escaped her again, and she screamed in frustration. “But even though you _have_ to get married, marrying me wouldn’t feel like you were being forced into it?” Aang offered softly.

Katara froze, her hand flying to her mouth. “How… who…?”

  
  
Aang shrugged a little. “Suki told Sokka, and he told me.” He glanced at her. “Don’t be mad at her. She just thought your brother should know some of the things you were feeling about this, especially since it’s for the rest of your life. And I didn’t mention it because… well I’m not sure why, but I wanted to hear everything from you, first.”

She shut her eyes, embarrassed. “Yeah, I get it.” She answered softly. She opened her eyes and looked at him, a deep sadness there that he had never seen. “I still believe that to be true.”

Aang smiled at her. “So, break it off with the Northerner and announce it with me. It’ll take me a little bit to make you a proper necklace, but I still have the one I made you from the fishing wire, you can wear that as a stand in while I get it ready and-“

“ _Aang.”_ The way she said his name, like it was the most painful thing she had ever said, got his attention, and the excitement that had been building in him died. “No.”

He was so shocked to hear the word, he actually recoiled a little. “No…?”

Her eyes shut again, and she turned her head away, before quickly taking a deep breath and looking back at him, her eyes open. “No, I won’t announce an engagement with you. I’m sorry, but I’m rejecting your proposal offer.”

Aang thought he was going to throw up. “But… You JUST said marrying me wouldn’t be as bad…?”

  
  
She brought her knees to her chin and wrapped her arms around herself. “Yes, I did.”

Aang thought he was losing his mind. He might, if things didn’t become less confusing pretty soon. “So… why would you say no?” He asked, wounded.

She bit the inside of her cheek so hard she drew blood. “For starters, you didn’t actually ask.” She was about to continue when he interrupted.

“Marry me, Katara. Please.”

Her head dropped, and she rested her forehead on her knees. “Aang! No!”

“Well why not!?”

She was beating her head lightly on her knees. “Because!”

“Because why?!”  
  


Her head snapped up. “Because I _HAVE_ to get married! You don’t! And I’m not going to let you throw your life away because of me!” Her arms dropped from her knees and she gestured wildly between the two of them. She settled her chin on her knees, and breathed out. “I’m sorry, Aang, but I can’t. You’re the Avatar. You’re the great bridge between this whole world and the next one. I can’t tie you down, especially not this soon after the war. You’re the reason the Hundred Year War is over, you have to help the nations repair themselves, and I’m just a girl from the Southern Water Tribe.”

Aang was gawking at her. He knew, but he couldn’t stop. “You’re not.”

She glanced at him. “What?”

“You’re not just ‘a girl from the Southern Water Tribe’. You’re the last Water Bender in the South, you’re the greatest female water bender in either tribe, and I’d bet money that you could actually beat Pakku now, you may very well be the greatest water bender in either tribe. You’re the girl who brought the Avatar back to the world. You’re part of ‘Team Avatar’, as Sokka calls us. I love Zuko, but you’re the reason that Azula isn’t sitting on the Fire Nation Throne, and that we’re able to not be on the run anymore. You’ve saved my life on more than one occasion, and you actually brought me back from the dead once. Katara, everything that’s happened, the fact that we’re able to be just flying on Appa instead of running on Appa, it was because of you. You were the catalyst that started all this. You were the reason I finished it. You’re the reason Azula fell. You’re more than just a girl from the Southern Water Tribe. You’re a huge part of why the war ended, and nobody is ever going to forget that, least of all me. I have to help Zuko usher in this new era of peace, but I would rather do it _with_ you than _without_ you. I would be honored to marry you. And, if you don’t want to marry right away, that’s okay. We’ll wait. Sokka said we can do that. But please don’t pull yourself away from me over this. We can make this work, we’ll figure something out.” He paused, reaching up to brush a stray tear away. “We always do.”

She just looked at him for a moment, before she pushed off, launching herself at him and wrapping her arms around him. He breathed her in, pulling her closer. They sat there for a long time, her head settled on his chest, while Appa made lazy circles in the sky above her ancestral home. Once Aang’s legs started falling asleep, he tapped her twice, causing her to sit up. He handed her Appa’s reins. “Steer for a minute.”

“Uhm. Okay?” She took the reins that had been wrapped around his left hand, and tangled them in both of hers.

He gave her a small smile before he stood, heading towards the saddle and disappearing over the lip. She could hear fabric being shifted around, but nothing else.

“Aang?” She finally called.

His head appeared over the edge of the saddle, followed by the rest of his body. He slid down Appa’s head, coming to a stop behind her. He gently turned her so she was facing out over Appa’s head. She felt her mother’s necklace loosening.

“What are you-“ She stopped herself when she felt something different replace it. When she reached up to feel it, she recognized the rough weave of the fish line necklace he’d made her. It felt like a million years had passed since the last time she’d had it on, and she smiled softly at the feel of it again. His hands slid down, taking her right hand and wrapping her mother’s necklace around her wrist, looping the fabric around three times, making a bracelet of sorts.

He stood, walking around her and settling on his knees in front of her, gently taking Appa’s reigns. He wrapped them around one of his hands before dropping his hands to his side and focusing all of his attention on her. “I ask you this as Aang of the Southern Air Temple, not Avatar Aang.” He took one of her hands in one of his, lifting it to his lips and kissing the back. “Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

Her free hand was still on the necklace he’d made her so long ago. A betrothal necklace before he even knew what it was, and before Katara had even remembered that that’s what her mother’s necklace had been. She finally found the courage to meet his eyes. She nodded once, and surged to him, kissing him with everything she had. He kissed her right back. They kissed to make up for the eleven months they couldn’t, and for the rest of their lives that they would be able to. They only broke apart when it became apparent that if they didn’t get air _that second_ that they would pass out. After a deep breath, she dove right back in.

“Kat-“ Her lips cut him off. He laughed as he gripped her shoulders, putting a little space between them. “I may be an Air Bender, but I still need air to breathe.”

  
  
She nudged him with her forehead. “That was the worst joke you’ve ever told.” She said, laughing into his skin.

He flicked her lightly. “I thought it was pretty good.”

  
  
She groaned. “Spirits, you’re turning into Sokka.”

He laughed, and just held her for a moment, until she sat up, and lifted her wrist. “Why’d you wrap it around my wrist?”

He looked a little sheepish. “I thought you could wear it there until I make you one. I’ll make something so that you can wear both.” He touched the charm lightly. “But I figured your grandmother wouldn’t accept not having one, so this will do for a little while.” He shifted his touch to gently tap the flower of the one he’d made her.

She gave him a watery laugh. “You’re right.”

He shifted, coming to sit beside her. He wrapped his arm around her waist, and she leaned against him. “You think she’ll approve of waiting two years for you to actually get married?”

Katara shrugged a little. “I think after all this fighting, she’ll just be happy I’ll have an engagement announcement on my birthday.”

Aang chuckled a little, and pulled her closer to him with one hand, while using the other to begin taking Appa down. “We better go tell her then. Besides, Appa and I have been flying for two days. He’s ready for a break. Aren’t you, buddy?” He patted Appa’s head, who let out a low rumble in response.

She looked up at him. “Why didn’t you rest on the coast of the Earth Kingdom then come down?”

Aang felt his cheeks color. “I.. well. I was in a bit of a hurry to get back to you.” His ears were red, he knew it, which was stupid because as of a few minutes ago, she was officially his betrothed. He felt her shift and half prepared for her to laugh at him. The kiss on the cheek surprised him so much, he turned towards her, a ‘Huh?’ dying on his lips when she kissed him fully, and he couldn’t think of anything he had to say that was worth breaking away from her intoxicating lips.

When she pulled away, the midnight sun illuminated her own flush. “I missed you too.”

He gave her a smirk before leaning in again, kissing her as breathless as she had him.

When they landed, he helped her down, and they walked into her home hand in hand. Her grandmother was still on her spot on the couch, Hakoda sitting next to her. They stopped their conversation, and looked at the young couple expectantly. Hakoda, noticing their hands, had a sly smile on his face, while Kanna looked almost cynical, zeroing in on their joined hands.

Katara took a deep breath before taking a step forward, but not dropping his hand. “I chose Avatar Aang as my betrothed.”

Her words hung there for a second. Hakoda’s approval mattered, not only as chief, but as her father as well. However, Aang knew the Water Tribes were more matrilineal, and Kanna’s approval could make or break their engagement.

Hakoda stood up, a wide smile on his face. “Congratulations, son.” He gave Aang’s back a solid smack, and reached over to give his daughter a hug. When they separated, he placed one hand on Katara’s shoulder, and one on Aang’s. “As this young woman’s father, as well as chief of this tribe, I approve of this betrothal.”

He stepped back, looking expectantly at Kanna. She held her hand out, indicating she wanted help up. Hakoda moved, but Aang was faster, taking her hand gently and using his other to support her shoulder. Once she was upright, Aang stepped back and gave her a bow, moving back to Katara’s side. Kanna stepped forward, placing her hands on their shoulders as Hakoda had done. “Acting as this young woman’s mother, I too approve of this betrothal.”

She stepped back with no further ceremony and nodded at the two of them. Sokka burst from the hallway, having been lurking there since they came in. “WAIT!” They all turned to look at him as he strode up to Aang and Katara. When he got close enough, he whipped out his fake moustache, attaching it to his face. Katara let out a loud groan, and smacked her forehead into her hand.

“Acting as this young man’s father-“

“SOKKA!” Katara and Kanna chided at the same time, while Aang and Hakoda erupted in laughter.

“ACTING AS THIS YOUNG MAN’S FATHER I APPROVE OF THIS BETROTHAL!” He yelled quickly, before Katara ran at him, managing to grip the end of his moustache before he got fully out of her reach. “My moustache!” He shrieked, realizing it was no longer on his face. He turned, intending to chase Katara for it back, when Kanna grabbed the two of them by their ears.

“No roughhousing inside!” She announced with authority. “Besides, Katara needs to break her betrothal with Siku.” Katara stuck her tongue out at Sokka, who returned the gesture. Aang couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of the three of them, Hakoda joining in a moment later. Their grandmother let Katara go, ushering her towards the door, before doing the same to Sokka, ushering him towards the hall. “Off you go! The both of you!”

Katara doubled back, giving Aang a solid kiss, before Kanna whisked her out the door. “Go! This will reflect badly enough on us as it is.”

“Even though she’s leaving him for the Avatar?” Sokka asked, his head appearing out of the hall.

Kanna paused for a second. “Maybe not AS bad, since he is the Avatar, but it’s still rude! Go!” She whisked Katara out, shutting the door behind her. She paused, then huffed, reaching over to grab her own parka out of the pile by the door. “I should probably go with her. He’ll say something ignorant and she’ll get mad and freeze him or some sort.” Hakoda and Aang both chuckled at her, and she was out the door a moment later.

Hakoda gave Aang a smack on the shoulder. “Come! We still have your growth spurt to celebrate. And after, another tea to celebrate your engagement!” Aang grimaced, before an idea came to mind.

“Would you wait just a minute, Hakoda? I’d like Sokka to celebrate with us.”

“NO YOU DON’T!” Came a screech from down the hall.

“YES I DO!” Aang answered back.

“He’s right, Sokka! Come out and I’ll brew you some as well!”

Sokka’s answering groan shook the house.

* * *

Three days later, on Katara’s birthday, Aang was learning about a whole new side to the Water Tribes that he hadn’t been privy to until then. He hadn’t grown up where physical touch was given very freely. It wasn’t that he never had it, just that the monks tended to show their affection in less physical ways. The Southern Water Tribe, however, were not like that.

Aang guessed it was because up until last year, they’d been very small, more like a large family than a small village, and were very open with affection towards each other. This theory held the most water because while the implants from the Northern Tribe were more physical than Aang was used to, he could tell that the native Southerners were more comfortable with it that their sister tribe.

After he’d gotten used to everyone coming up to him and Katara hugging him, it was a nice celebration. Most people said they had suspected that the young Water Bender and the Avatar would have ended up together, and offer kind words and encouragement. Aang had never been to a betrothal announcement before, but he thought it was going well. Katara even pointed out the man who’s proposal she’d accepted, which surprised Aang a little, before she’d explained that in a small village like this, you would have to show up to things like this to keep up appearances with the rest of the tribe. It showed you had no ill will, and people wouldn’t talk.

“People?” Aang questioned.

Katara gestured at the people around them with the arm not wrapped around his bicep. “Look. The whole tribe is here. They would notice if only ONE family in the entire village didn’t show up, and the rumors would start flying about why, and then they’d get questioned about why, and they’d have to explain that he either got dumped or come up with a lie about why, it turns into a whole thing.”

  
Aang nodded, and pretended he understood.

Katara tapped his bicep twice. “I’m going to say hi to Pakku. Want to come?” He was about to say yes, when he saw Zuko and Mai picking their way across the frozen snow. He nodded towards them.

“I better go check on them before they start melting everything looking for solid ground.”  
  


She gave him a light laugh, leaning up to kiss his cheek. “Good idea. I’ll be fast with Pakku and join you.”

He nodded at her and gave her a light kiss on the lips, which was met with a chorus of ‘Aweee’ from the people around them. They laughed at each other, before splitting off in their respective directions.

“Mai! Zuko!” Aang called once he was close enough.

“Aang!” They both exclaimed simultaneously.

They fell into a hug when he reached them. “Congratulations!” Zuko exclaimed when they broke apart.

Aang couldn’t stop the grin that split his face. “Thank you.”

Zuko leaned in a little. “Look, I know you two are crazy about each other, and I believe that this really will work out… but isn’t this a little fast?”

Aang believed him when he said it would work out, mostly because Aang knew it would as well, and knew his friends were just curious at the speed of which his and Katara’s relationship had progressed. After all, it had only been three days since he’d returned from his diplomatic schooling with Kuei and Iroh. “It’s a bit of a long story, but the base of it is she had to be at least engaged by sixteen. She actually was hesitant about it at first-“

“What?!” Zuko interrupted. “She’s crazy about you?!”

Mai elbowed him, and Aang laughed at the universal woman code for ‘shut up’.

“I am.” Came Katara’s voice from behind him. She was by his side in seconds, wrapping her arm around his bicep again and leaning into him. “But I _had_ to be engaged by today.” She continued. “He didn’t. And I didn’t want to force him into it, but-“ She stopped and looked up at Aang adoringly. “-he wanted to.”

Mai let out an uncharacteristic “Awe.” Katara responded with a grin. “Is that the necklace?” Mai questioned, moving forward to inspect it.

Katara’s arm slid from his, and she met Mai in the middle, letting her inspect the stand-in betrothal necklace. “He actually made this for me a while ago, it’s just until he can make another one out of stone.”

Mai eyed her, and Aang saw Zuko stiffen, knowing exactly what was coming next. Aang couldn’t help the laughs that began to slip out of his mouth.

“He made it a while ago?” Mai questioned.

Katara gave her a devilish grin. “Yeah, when we were still traveling to the Northern Water Tribe.” She turned a little towards Zuko. “Weren’t we?”

Zuko had the bridge of his nose in between his fingers. “Why? I came all the way out here just to congratulate you. I made a two day ride in less than a day to show my support, and you thank me by torturing me.”

Mai raised an eyebrow at the two of them. “Anyone want to fill me in?”

Katara turned back to her, lifting her wrist and showing Mai her mother’s necklace. “I usually wore this one, it was my mother’s. But after a run in with your boyfriend,-“ She turned and fixed a mock glare at Zuko. “-it went missing. Aang made me this one as a replacement.”

“You got it back, didn’t you?” Zuko defended himself half-heartedly.

“After yet ANOTHER run in where you tried to kill us!” Aang fired back with a shit eating grin on his face. He turned his attention to Mai as well. “He dropped it, and I picked it up.” He looked at Katara. “That was the first time you ever kissed me.”  
  


Katara scrunched her nose at him. “I didn’t kiss you then. The first time we kissed was in the cave beneath Omashu.”

Aang laughed at her. “Call it what it is.”

  
She groaned. “It’s embarrassing and cheesy.”  
  


“Well now you have to tell us.” Zuko chimed in. Katara gave him a less than half-hearted glare.

Katara lowered her head into her hand. “It was called the Cave of Two Lovers.”

Even Mai couldn’t help but let out a little snort. “Wow.”

“It was under extenuating circumstances!” Katara defended.

Aang slid next to her. “And here I thought you just wanted to kiss me.”

Her only answer was a glare.

“But you did kiss me when I got the necklace back, just on the cheek.” He added.

Katara seemed to think for a moment, before her eyes grew wide. “I did, didn’t I?”

Aang laughed at her. “That was the first time.”

  
  
She glanced at him. “You kept track?”

It was Aang’s turn to be embarrassed, and he gave her a sheepish grin.

She rolled her eyes at him and gave him a light smack before turning back to Mai. He let her go and returned to his spot next to Zuko. As he watched his betrothed talk animatedly with her friend, he felt this sense of peace wash over him. A different kind than following Ozai and Azula’s defeat. This peace felt more like ‘home’.

He knew that the only reason they were here right now was because she had to, it was part of her heritage, something she couldn’t break. But he loved her, even if he hadn’t said as much to her yet. They had agreed to wait to actually get married, but he knew that if she said she was ready right then, he’d be ready too. He loved her, and he would be ready for whatever came their way, as long as he could do it with her. Aang smiled a little to himself as he watched Zuko join in Mai and Katara’s conversation. Yes, they were here because of her traditions, but they would remain together because they had heralded in a new era of peace, and they finally had the chance to enjoy it together.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! So I want to apologize to any First Nations people reading this for any bits of that life I botched. I don’t know a ton about it, and I know firsthand using the Internet to research a tribe can give you varied results. I used what little I did know mixed in with a few traditions from my own tribe (Muscogee, [yes, I know I’m ‘civilized’ I get shit for it all the time please don’t come at me lmao] if anybody has any questions), and a big helping of what we know about the traditions in the world of Avatar. What we ended up with is this lil fic that actually got pretty big, and I’d like to apologize for that as well. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Thanks for reading!


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